xliv Proceedings of Royal Society of Edinhurgh. 
respect to the memory of Mr Alexander Leslie, their late distinguished Presi- 
dent ; and that they should record in the minutes an expression of their deep 
sense of the loss they had sustained by his death, and of their sincere sympathy 
with Mrs Leslie and her family circle in their sudden and severe bereavement. 
That day many of them had followed to the grave all that was mortal of their 
late beloved President. Few could realise how much he would be missed, for 
they all knew that no one loved the Society more than he, or contributed more 
towards the elucidation of the varied subjects which came before it. His 
mental grasp seemed to be all-embracing, and he seemed to have the power of 
mastering the intricacies of a new problem almost before its demonstration 
was completed. He worked silently and unostentatiously amongst them, but 
his influence was widely felt, and obtained for them the addition to their roll 
of many illustrious names. His sudden and early death has stirred every 
emotion of sympathy within them, and left a blank which they could not hope 
to fill. He dared not speak of what Mr Leslie was to himself personally, and 
to all of them who knew him as a friend. He dared not speak of the many 
evidences of the ready hand and the generous heart which w^ere indirectly 
known to those who experienced them. He was following the dictates of his 
own heart, and giving expression to the feelings of all, when he proposed that 
they should adjourn. Dr R. M, Ferguson seconded the motion, which was 
agreed to unanimously.” 
Mr Leslie contributed several papers to the Proceedings of the 
Institution of Civil Engineers, among which are accounts of the 
Paisley Waterworks and Edinburgh Waterworks, and a description 
of the various kinds of salmon-ladders in use in Scotland. 
He also contributed to the Eoyal Scottish Society of Arts the 
following papers : — Kainfall and Evaporation, an account of Berwick 
Waterworks ; Description of an Improved Joint for Levelling Staff ; 
an account of the Dundee Waterworks ; and Hotes on Experiments 
of the Elow of Water over Triangular Weirs ; for each of which he 
received the Society’s silver medal. 
Mr Leslie had a highly versatile mind, and was possessed of 
many accomplishments. He had travelled much, and his great 
sense of humour, coupled with his great powers of observation, 
made him an excellent travelling companion, and brought him a 
large circle of friends. 
His humour was of the old Scottish quality, quaint and pawky, 
and evidently inherited from both his parents, as all who enjoyed 
the pleasure of his father’s acquaintance and friendship, or of his 
uncle’s, on the mother’s side, the late John Hunter, W.S., of Craig- 
crook, could easily perceive. 
Mr Leslie acted in 1893 as a witness for the Caledonian Eailway 
